


Beauty and the Beast Master

by Kieran_Howl



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Hogwarts Fifth Year, Hogwarts Fourth Year, Hogwarts Second Year, Hogwarts Third Year, New York, movie-verse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-14 07:21:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17504141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kieran_Howl/pseuds/Kieran_Howl
Summary: Anna Carrio was a muggle born metamorphmagus witch who struggles to fend for herself at Britain's magic school, when she meets Newt things start to take a turn for the better but she never expected herself to fall in love with the beast obsessed boy who saved her life. (Summary sucks, I'm sorry. Does start at Hogwarts.) (WARNING! Dark themes in some chapter!!)





	1. Year 2 Start

One wouldn’t notice her unless they were really looking and yet…many people believed her out of place, so in a way, she was the same as him. In fact, if it hadn’t been for the night by the lake second year, he likely never would have known she existed.  
\--  
“Ow! S-Stop…s-stop!” the group was inching her closer and closer to the edge of the lake, the smaller girl using her wand to deflect what spells she was able, some getting past and lashing her skin. Laughter followed her pleas of mercy.  
“She wants us to stop. Why don’t we show the little mud-blood where her kind belong?” Another set of spells and soon all she felt was cold as she sank below the surface, some invisible force holding her just under the surface until suddenly it wasn’t. she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist and drag her back to the surface, her vision clouded and splotchy.  
“A-Are yo-you okay?!” she coughed and spluttered, trying to answer him but she was dreadfully water-logged and cold. She felt the person roll her onto her side so she’d have an easier time, even lightly patting her back to help dislodge the left over water.  
“I-I’m sorry…y-you m-must be f-freezing.” Once she was able to speak she looked at who had saved her.  
“Y-You sh-sh-should have let m-me drown…” the boy looked stunned, looking through a shock of reddish blond hair his green eyes spared her a sympathetic look.  
“Wh-Why would I d-do that?” she had to be freezing, what could he do to warm her up…he had to think of something.  
“L-Let’s get y-you to the h-hospital wing.” He was surprised she didn’t put up a fight when he helped lift her to her feet.  
“They…they’ll just d-do it again…” he stopped, tilting his head to look down at her, noticing the color of the inside of her robes he was slightly surprised, they were in the same house, but he had never taken notice of her.  
“D-Do you h-have a name?” suddenly her head tilted upwards and he was startled by very different colored eyes staring back at him.  
“Y-You want to k-know my name?” Newt nodded, intrigued by her eyes.  
“Anna, Anna Carrio…” She averted her eyes to the ground as he rushed them through the grounds. Once finally inside he took a chance to get a good look at her, her brown hair was a wet, curly mop right now and clung to her pale face, her cheeks were a rosy color due to the cold autumn air outside.  
“R-right, the h-hospital wing.” The two Hufflepuff’s walked in silence for a while until Anna spoke.  
“Thank you…” She kept her eyes downcast, as if the stone tiling was the most fascinating thing in the world.  
“Why…Why did th-they call you a m-mud-blood?”  
“My parents, they’re muggles…” that explained it, not many inside the walls of Hogwarts were friendly to muggle born students, mainly because they weren’t common.  
“Oh, wh-where are my manners. I’m N-Newton, Newton Scamander.” She still didn’t look up, “Y-You know…I’ve always b-been fascinated b-by muggles.” Still no response.  
“I really like Hogwarts…it’s less—” she trailed off in her words, seeming to have warmed up by the lack of stuttering, he wondered if she was just unsure of the word to use.  
“Mundane.” The door of the infirmary was before them.  
“Well, I-I’ll j-just…”  
“Thank you…” if they hadn’t been the only two in the corridor, he’d have missed her words of gratitude entirely. No one had ever thanked him for anything before so he was a bit unsure of how to respond.  
“O-Oh, you’re quite w-welcome, Anna.” There was a small hint of a smile on her face “Y-You remembered my name?”  
“O-Of course, sh-should I not have?” Her smile grew and he returned it, albeit an awkward smile, but a smile nonetheless.  
“Newton…” he looked confused for a second, “That’s…that’s your name, right?”  
“O-Oh, yes, that’s my name, Newton Scamander.” She smiled again, something the reddish haired boy was already growing fond of.  
“I hope to see you around.” And with that she quickly ducked inside the infirmary.  
\--  
The next morning at breakfast Newt looked for the brunette among the mass sea of yellow sporting students, but he didn’t see her, maybe she’d stayed in the infirmary for the night…or maybe…his mind wandered to the group of older students who had targeted her last night, surely, they wouldn’t try again…would they? His eyes turned towards the door and relief filled him, Anna was just fine, and color had returned to her skin, but her eyes were still downcast. Trying to wave her over he’d sadly gone unnoticed.  
He watched as she hesitantly looked for a place to sit and felt anger rise as, while she was walking down the aisle an older student had tripped her. Cautiously sliding his wand out of his robe sleeve, he muttered a spell that kept her from connecting with the stone floor until she got back on her feet. Finally, her eyes looked up, seeking out her savior, he made another weak attempt to wave and couldn’t help but smile when her face brightened.  
“Newton!” she hurried over and he made some room on the bench for her.  
“I’m so terribly clumsy, I should have been watching where I was going.” She thought she was clumsy? But he’d seen the older boy trip her.  
“You-You’re not clumsy, he tried to t-trip you.” A look of realization dawned on her features, “Oh, really?” he quirked a brow at her seemingly dimwittedness but shrugged it off.  
“S-so…do you feel better?” he tried to change the subject, the brunette next to him just beamed, “Oh, yes! Madame Greenwood patched me right up!” he was happy for that bit of information as food began appearing on the tables, her dual colored eyes watched with excitement as she piled a rather large waffle on her plate before reaching for some bacon.  
As breakfast came to a close he began wondering if they had any classes together.  
“I have transfigurations first, but I’m not very good at it. What about you?”  
“O-Oh, I have charms.” Her eyes sparkled. “I love charms, Watching the feather fly was wonderful.” Her fascination with the world he’d spent his whole life in brought a smile to his face, he’d known from a young age he’d attend Hogwarts, but she’d only found out on her 11th birthday.  
“I enjoy herbology, particularly the healing properties that some of the plants have.” She looked at the table. “I’m no good at herbology, plants don’t like me.”  
“I’m rubbish at muggle studies.” She seemed to perk up. “Maybe…Maybe I can help?” she seemed enthralled with the idea, Newt however was confused “Y-You want to help me?”  
“Of course, think of it as my way of thanking you for last night” her happiness was seemingly contagious.  
“All right, you can help me with muggle studies, and I can help you with Herbology.” She clapped her hands together “Wonderful!” her rambunctious attitude was drawing attention and murmurs flowed around the table, her ears turned red from embarrassment and she lowered her eyes again.  
“Sorry…guess I got excited…I’ll shut up now…” she instantly closed off again, feeling a bunch of eyes on her, Newt felt something unfamiliar rise in his stomach, disgust and… anger? she’d been so happy only a moment ago, but the second the whispers started she’d completely shut down.  
“I-I find it b-best to just i-ignore them.” His stutter was back, he wasn’t used to talking to girls…or anyone for that matter, most people found him annoying. He wanted to cheer her up, but he wasn’t sure how to go about it until something his brother did came to mind. Bringing his hand up ever so slightly, he hesitated but pushed forward, ruffling her hair softly. This small action snapped her out of her trance and she glanced at him curiously, he felt his own ears burn slightly red as he retracted his hand, letting it fall back to his side awkwardly.  
“I have history of magic after transfigurations…” he looked over again, she was still looking at her food.  
“So do I…M-Maybe we c-can sit together?”  
“I’d like that, Newton.”  
\--  
Anna struggled through transfiguration, they had been trying to turn animals into water goblets, needless to say she failed miserably and her professor had just smiled and told her to keep trying. Finally, class was dismissed and she hurried for history of magic, excited to see her friend.  
\--  
Newt waited by the door of the history of magic classroom, looking for the familiar head of brown hair, half wondering if maybe she’d gotten lost when he didn’t see her.  
“Hey salamander, looking for your freaky little girlfriend?” freaky? She seemed perfectly normal to him.  
“She’s n-not my—”  
“Newton!” he looked around, startled and spotted Anna, but something was different…  
“Your hair…” she skid to a halt, earning a dirty look from a Slytherin they shared class with and took a lock of her hair to inspect it.  
“Oh, yeah, not sure why it does that…” it was a vibrant ginger color, this intrigued newt, he’d read about witches and wizards who were born with special abilities, but he’d have to look more into this. Whispered circulated as the two stepped into the classroom a few students laughed at the odd pair of friends.  
“Aw, look, it’s salamander and his little cricket.” Anna looked confused, she didn’t see a cricket in here, shrugging she took her seat and Newt followed behind her.  
“Aw, little cricket’s got nothing to say?” the jabs continued until the teacher walked in.  
\--  
Needless to say, History of magic had not been fun she’d been hit with an enchanted paper ball repeatedly.  
“I’m not excited for potions, but I’m not terrible at it.”  
“I quite enjoy potions, it ties in well with herbology.” Anna beamed leaving newt confused.  
“you didn’t stutter” Newt shook his head at her observation, taking in the fact that her hair was almost back to its normal brown color, however it still contained streaks of orange here and there.  
“Ne…n” he vaguely heard his name, still mesmerized by her unusual hair  
“Newton?” he finally snapped back to attention when a hand was waving in his face. Anna wore a look of reservation.  
“You were staring…is it that peculiar?”  
“N-No, not at all. Sorry, it’s just…fascinating.” She tilted her head as she pushed the door to the potions classroom open.  
\--  
Over the course of the next few weeks Newt and Anna had grown closer, he was ecstatic that someone would listen to him ramble on about all of the magical worlds fantastical creatures.  
“Newton, what’s a…s..snally…gaster?”  
“Y-you know, you can call me Newt, Anna. We’re friends after all.” He watched a smile grow on her face, one of his favorite things about her, that and the ever changing colors of her hair, it was now turning a very brilliant shade of yellow, he made a mental note that yellow must have meant she was happy.  
“Newt.” He snapped back to reality once more when realization dawned on him.  
“Metamorphmagus!”  
“Bless you?” the two shared an equally confused look before he got back on track, “No, your hair, you’re a metamorphmagus!”  
“Metamorphmagus?” Newt nodded with excitement as he fished out a book. Anna watched perplexed “Where were you hiding that?” he ignored the question as he flipped through the book pages.  
“I remembered reading about them in one of my mum’s books back home, she told me metamorphmagi are extremely rare, but you being muggle born, I’d imagine it’s even more so.” Anna scooted back from Newt.  
“That explains the cat ears…” he quirked a brow, “There was an instance when I was younger, I sneezed once and out popped a seat of ears and a matching tail” he watched the girl bring her hands up to her head to mimic the appendages.  
“I’d h-have l-loved to see that.” Now Anna wore the funny expression then a Cheshire like grin grew.  
“I bet I could do it again!” the yellow haired girl bounced with excitement, he reached over and ruffled her hair and she grinned, it had become a silent way for him to show affection, and at times, calm her down.  
“A-All Right, let’s see.” He watched Anna’s face scrunch up for a second, Newt watched with intrigue as two ears popped out of the top of her head.  
“Amazing!”  
“I wonder what else I could turn into…” newt couldn’t help the growing smile as her face shifted into a dolphins snout and her eyes turned bright yellow.  
“Fascinating!” Anna was absolutely beaming.  
\--  
It wasn’t long before Christmas was upon them, chatter of Christmas plans filled the school corridors, most planned on going home.  
“Christmas plans, Newt?” the reddish haired boy looked up from his cauldron.  
“Oh, I’m staying here over the holidays, dad’s away on ministry business and my mum is helping with a hippogriff migration in Ireland, you see, much like birds they prefer warmer climates during the colder months.”  
“You’re going to be wonderful in care of magical creatures next year” Newts ears burned red at the compliment.  
“What about you?”  
“Oh…my mum and dad are going to America to visit my cousins…but they’d rather I keep magic away from them, so I’m staying at the school as well.”  
“They don’t want you…I’m sorry, Anna.” She shrugged “They left me here last year too, I think it will just be an annual thing, but at least I have someone to talk to this year.” Newt smiled at the idea, he’d spent his entire first year at Hogwarts entirely alone, gone home for Christmas where his parents sang his older brother’s praises at being made a prefect and getting onto the Gryffindor quidditch team, he’d be lying if it hadn’t left him feeling empty.  
“Last year was all about my older brother, he’s a prefect, you know?” she looked up from her cauldron “A prefect? For which house?”  
“Gryffindor, he found out last year. Our mum was over the moon.” The smell of the pepperup potion filled their noses.  
“Well Done, Miss Carrio, 20 points to Hufflepuff house for a perfect potion!” her hair faded to bright yellow again from it’s natural brown state. With that class was dismissed and it was time for lunch.  
“Your tutoring is really helping, Newt.”  
“Yours as well, my marks in Muggle studies have gotten better.” Pushing the doors open brown and green eyes peered up at the enchanted sky above, eyes sparkling with wonder.  
“I never tire of watching the snow fall.” Newt found his own green eyes trailing upwards, an almost stupid grin on his face.  
After a few long moments his eyes trailed back to her.


	2. Year 2 end.

Christmas was finally upon them and Newt had plans to show Anna something special over the holiday. In fact, he knew exactly what he was going to show her.  
\--  
“Newt, tell me where we’re going.” He’d insisted she wear a blindfold as soon as they’d left the great hall.  
“Somewhere I think you’ll love.” They were descending stairs and judging by the direction they were heading for the Hufflepuff dorms. She giggled.  
“Newt, please tell me where we’re going?” the reddish haired boy said nothing until she heard him mutter the password to the Hufflepuff common room and then their matching footfall going up the left staircase.  
“we’re here.” He took the blindfold off and all she saw was his Hogwarts trunk.  
“You wanted to show me your school trunk??” newt awkwardly smiled “No, see, it-it’s what’s inside.”  
“You want to show me your…clothes?” he just kept his sideways smile as he opened the trunk, leading her to look inside, surprise couldn’t even cover her expression.  
“It’s…bigger on the inside.” His grin only grew as he stepped into the trunk and onto a ladder, a hand popping out a few seconds later to usher her in.  
“Come on!” stepping onto the ladder she thought she had her footing…until she didn’t. A loud screech filled the space as she slid down the ladder, a pair of arms catching her before she hit the floor.  
“Terribly sorry about that.” His eyes were downcast again, “I’ll have to make that safer…” Anna’s hair was a very bright shade of pink as she peered out from the curtain of hair to look at him before taking in the expanse of the room they were now in.  
“Pink…?” he wondered what this color meant, it wasn’t a common occurrence, neither realized his hands were still at her waist.  
“Your trunk…it’s quite magnificent.” He still wore his dopey smile, his eyes trailing to where her eyes were looking before a light dusting of red colored his cheeks.  
“T-terribly sorry, that was very f-forward of me.” He quickly placed his arms back at his sides, Anna giggled, a sound he had grown to love, even in their short amount of time together.  
“S-So…yo-you enchanted your trunk?”  
“It gives me somewhere quite to go when I need to think.”  
“I suppose the library is a bit distracting, what with all the older students thinking it’s a great place to snog.” Newts face dusted red again.  
“You’d almost think they’d never seen a person of the opposite gender before.” This comment earned her an almost undignified snort.  
“Th-That’s quite good.” She sat cross legged on the floor of the small room and watched him “So, you really hide out in here?”  
“Only when I need to think, a lot of the time I’m mulling about the common room.”  
“I usually hide out by the boat house, no one ever bothers me there.” He noticed her hair change from pink to black, that was a new one for the books.  
“It’s not exactly nice to be out there right now, snow and all.”  
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right, but it’s the only place I can go where they leave me alone.” His mind wandered back to September when they’d first met.  
“Well, you’re always welcome here.”  
“Newton! Are you encouraging me to sneak into the boys dorms?” she gave him a teasing look as she leaned forward and wiggled her eyebrows in a goofy manner.  
“O-Oh n-no, that’s not what I…I mean Yes that’s kind of…” Anna laughed as his cheeks tinged pink with an embarrassed blush.  
“I’m only messing, I’d like that. It can be like our own hide away.”  
\--  
It was finally the end of their second year and students were boarding the Hogwarts express.  
“Sit with me for the ride back?”  
“Gladly.”  
“Looks boys, it’s the salamander and his cricket.” The unusual pair of friend shared a look and she changed her face to look like a cricket, even imitating the chirps they made, this earned both a terrified and disgusted look from the older Slytherins.  
“She’s such a freak!”  
“I think the term you’re looking for is metamorphmagus.” Her face returned to normal and Newt was almost doubled over with silent laughter.  
“That was…marvelous!” she hooked her arm in his and led them onto the train.  
\--  
“So you’re parents are muggle doctors?”  
“Yeah, they are always on call though so I rarely see them, and when I do they scrutinize me. Something about Magic not being scientifically proven, needless to say when my letter arrived they both nearly keeled over.”  
“That sounds horrid.”  
“I ignore them, I love having magic, but it does become taxing to hide it when family visits for holidays.”  
“We use magic for practically everything at my home, I can’t imagine living without it. M-Maybe you could come visit?”  
“You want me to come see your home?” the idea was strange to her, she’d be staying at a boy’s home, her mother would have a conniption…or maybe just not notice.  
“Tell you what, I’ll come visit you over the summer months, if—” he was curious what her request would be “You promise to write to me” It was a simple request.  
“I find summer to be boring at home, promise you’ll write?” catching the hopeful glint in her eye Newt smiled “All right, I’ll write to you until you come visit.” Anna was beaming and He watched as the familiar shade of yellow returned to her hair.  
As the train pulled out of the station the two Hufflepuffs watched their school fade into the distance.  
\--  
They had arrived back at Kings Cross station, Anna’s dual colored eyes scanning the crowds for her parents.  
“Oh…maybe they couldn’t get on the platform?” but they’d been able her first year.  
“Hey, we can walk through together, see if they’re on the other side.” He gave her a reassuring look as his parents walked over.  
“So, this must be the famous Anna, Newt’s rambled about you in all of his letters.” Her hair faded to a bright pink and her eyes found the ground.  
“You’re a metamorphmagus?” Anna wanted to crawl in a hole under the woman’s gaze.  
“Newts little girlfriend here has been quite the topic around school, they’ve nicknamed her cricket.” A new voice joined the group, Anna’s brown and green orbs looked at him with confusion.  
“Oh, terribly sorry, where are my manners. Anna this is Theseus, my older brother.”  
“Oh…the prefect?” she brushed his mention of her unwanted nickname under the rug and held out her hand.  
“S-Sorry, My name’s Anna, Anna Carrio.”  
“Yes, I’ve heard” she noted he was incredibly…“Conceited” Theseus looked down at the girl with disgust and newt had to keep himself from laughing again.

“So, Anna, what do your parents do?” the petite girl managed to lug her trunk onto a trolley and they headed for the 9 ¾ pillar “Oh, they’re muggle doctors.”  
“A muggle born, and with your ability as well, fascinating.”  
“Yes well…they’re n-not fond of me.” She felt herself retreating back into her shell “W-well…more so n-not fond of my magic… th-they say it’s n-not scientifically sound.”  
“Well, that is why it’s called magic, dear.” Newt watched some joy return to his friend’s eyes at his mothers words, she’d always been good at keeping people’s spirits up.  
“Th-thank you Missus Scamander.”  
“And thank you for being my son’s first friend, he speaks so highly of you.” Red dusted the boys cheeks but Anna just smiled “He saved me you know…if he hadn’t been passing by at the right moment…” she trailed off as their eyes met  
“What?” Theseus suddenly seemed very interested in the conversation.  
“They were—they were going to drown her. S-said they’d sh-show her where her k-kind truly belonged.”  
‘Did you happen to catch the names of these students, Anna?” Her eyes looked to the older brother then once more to the floor “O-Oh, No, I’m a-afraid not…sorry.” Newt hated to watch her retreat like this.  
They passed through and back into the main station where Anna proceeded to seek out her parents, finally finding them by platform 6.  
“Thank you for keeping me company, Newt.”  
“Anna Bell” her face dusted red at her father’s nickname “Dad…not here!” The Scamander family watched with intrigue  
“So, you’re the young man who took care of our little Anna?” it was her mother that upset her, she had put on fake water works “Oh, when we’d heard what those older kids did to our little Anna…we almost pulled her out of school and brought her home.” Anna scoffed under her breath her hair turning a fiery red.  
“Oh, well it’s a good thing you didn’t, terrible things happen to magical children who have their magic repressed.”  
‘Obscurials…’ the words echoed in newts mind, he wouldn’t know what to do if such a fate befell his friend.  
“Oh, Mum, dad, Newts invited me to visit for part of the summer…can I go?” her words were hopeful as her father eyed the family before nodding.  
“Of course, anyone who can draw our little Anna out of her shell this much is fine in my book.” He clapped a rather large hand on Newts shoulder.  
“I’ll see you soon, Newt.”


	3. Year 3 part 1

The summer had been long but between the letters and eventually her visit to the scamanders’ home Anna had had an exceptional holiday.  
Newt however had grown taller over the summer, and Anna’s face had started to thin out, her body starting to develop curves and the reddish haired boy certainly took notice the second he spotted her on the platform, her brown hair also had a different kind of shine to it, to him it was like he was seeing her for the first time all over again, even though it had only been a little over 2 months.  
“Newt?” he obviously had not heard her the first time, her stared into the seas of green and brown that were her eyes before snapping out of it.  
“O-Oh, um, s-sorry.” He averted his eyes, looking anywhere but her face, had she always had those freckles dotting her nose? She giggled and snapped him back to attention.  
“What’s wrong with you? You’d almost think I’d sprouted another head. Ooh, I bet I could do that!” her nose scrunched up as she focused, all that happened was her hair turning a mix of colors.  
“I-I don’t think any wizard can do that…unless of course it was a spell gone wrong, perhaps.” She just smiled again.  
“I think you may be right, but it would certainly be a sight…oh, I made a rhyme!” he’d never tire of her, shaking his head he left this trolley for the person loading their trunks and ushered her to the train.  
“Come on, or it’ll leave us behind.”  
As they walked through the train cars Anna found her eyes trailing the ground as a few boys muttered comments as the pair passed the compartments, “Whoa, 10 points to Hufflepuff, looking good Carrio.” A scowl etched itself onto her face, and unbeknownst to her Newt scowled as well.  
“Bugger off, DuPont.” The Ravenclaw boy snickered, “If I knew you’d turn out so enticing I’d have asked you out, too bad you hang out with Salamander, Kind of a deal breaker”  
“Well, at least Newt isn’t a reprehensible baboon. He has the decency to treat me like a human being as opposed to some kind of trinket.” A small bit of pride rose in Newts chest at her words, his mother had drilled into him from a very young age that you were to treat ladies with respect, it seemed to be paying off.  
“honestly, the nerve.” They found an empty compartment and ducked inside. “DuPont has grown rather arrogant over the summer, hasn’t he?” Newt simply nodded, watching her hair turn to it’s fiery red again.  
“Anna, Calm down.” Seeing the red in her peripheral vision she took a deep breath and held it, watching her hair fade from red to blue for a moment then back to brown.

“Sorry, guess I kind of lost it.” He shrugged it off and fished out a book from his bag “I-I hope you don’t mind but I kind of started keeping notes on how your hair changes with your mood. Anna shook her head “No, it’s fine, honestly…I’ve been doing the same thing.” His eyes flew up as she fished out her own journal “I’ve also been working on changing my features, see!” her whole face resembled a Jarvey, a magical creature that resembled a ferret, only difference really is that they are capable of human speech.  
“Th-that’s quite good.” He watched as her face changed again “Look, I’m a niffler!” he snorted “You know, I think I have a coin in my pocket” she laughed “Give me all your shiny things!” her face changed back to normal as the two of them reveled in their shared laughter. The scenic English countryside blasting past them as the train rolled down the tracks.  
“I’m going to go change into my robes. Be back in a bit.” With that the compartment door slid shut and newt caught himself watching her walk off, a blush on his face.  
“Stupid, she’s your friend!” he mentally slapped himself, she’d never feel the same about him anyways, they had a sibling relationship. A whistle stirred him from his thoughts.  
“Looking Good, Carrio. The summer months were kind to you.” Adam Chernock, a 4th year in Gryffindor gave her a passing look-over.  
“Sod off, Chernock!” in the next instance Newt saw red as the older boy grabbed her wrist and spun her around to face him.  
“Let go of me!” she rose her hand to slap him as her hair changed to a deep crimson “How about we go and snog in one of the empty compart—” there was a deafening silence as he watched Anna slap the older boy clear across the face, her expression was dark and her eyes much like her hair had changed color, they were as black as the bottom of the lake at Hogwarts.  
“You would do well to show me some respect!” suddenly Newts friend was on the ground, Adam Chernock had slapped her, sending her careening to the carpeted floor of the train car.  
“And you would do well to know your place!” in an instant Newt was to his feet and Adam was the one on the ground, the normally shy Hufflepuff boy had punched the upper classman.  
“Y-You c-can’t talk to her that way!” Anna’s now black eyes looked up at her friend, had he always had this side to him? There was suddenly an outstretched arm in her face, she took it and stood, catching Adam drawing his wand from the corner of her eye.  
“Petrificus tota—”  
“STUPEFY!” Anna had drawn her wand and blasted the boy back into his group of friends. “Great shot!” a few heads peaked around compartment corners to see what the commotion was.  
“Didn’t anyone ever teach you to never attack a man while his back is turned? No wonder Gryffindor house gets a bad reputation, you act like snakes rather than lions. There is no courage in cowardice.  
“Why you little—”  
“One more word, Chernock, and I’ll find a way to magically move your mouth, so you can only talk out of your arse.” Newt bit back laughter and the older boy scowled, Anna tucked her wand back inside her robes and grabbed nets hand without thinking, leading him back to their shared compartment.  
“Do most men think they are above being a human?” realizing what she’d said she turned red “O-Oh, not that you do that, I mean…You’re very charming…I mean you know how to treat people…I’ll just shut up…” Newt felt a familiar sense of pride swell inside of him at her compliment.  
“You should opt into the dueling club.” Anna seemed thoughtful as her hair returned to brown, “You think so? I’ve heard professor Dumbledore leads it, I also hear he’s taking over defense against the dark arts this year.”  
“Oh, I think I have defense against the dark arts in the afternoon this year. So at least I won’t be running on an empty stomach.” Newts mind was drawn back to something they’d done over the summer, he’d learned just how much food his friend could actually eat.  
“How many is that?”  
“I’m not even sure anymore, but I know it’s less than 30.” Anna had insisted they have a food eating contest and surprisingly she had won in the end, leaving him both horrified and impressed.  
“You know, I bet someday they’ll have actual competitions for this!” he bit back a laugh as he noticed the condiments spreading around her mouth.  
“You-You’ve got something…” she tilted her head “What, where?”  
“Just…everywhere.” She smacked his arm “Newton Artemis Fido Scamander! You are absolutely terrible…” he knew she was joking, but the way his full name rolled off her tongue made him blush…  
Perhaps it was that moment when he’d really become aware of her, she’d been with them a week at that point but perhaps it was just having her presence constant, not interrupted by classes or different dorms, though they did not share a room, the very idea was preposterous and his mother would never allow it, but he was so very aware of her now, noticing things he hadn’t before, like the light freckles dusting her nose and spots here and there under her eyes, or the way her eyes curved when she was laughing, or her…lips.  
“Newt, I can see Hogsmeade!” his awkward smile returned once more as she launched herself to the window, every year it was like she was seeing it all for the first time again.  
\--  
It had been a few weeks since the new year started and the two had found almost all of their classes were together, the only one they did not have together was Astronomy.  
“So, what do you think Professor Kettleburn will have us do today, I hope we get to see fire crabs!” the fact that she was excited about a creature that literally shot fire out of it’s butt concerned him, then again, he was fascinated with all magical creatures so he had no room to judge.  
“And here we have the Salamander in his natural habitat…” Anna rolled her eyes  
“Just ignore them, besides, you’re more like…a phoenix!” he gave her an odd look and she immediately quieted down  
“I’m nothing like a Phoenix.”  
“Sure you are, you know more about healing magic than anyone I know and no matter what people say to you, you don’t let it keep you down. A phoenix always rises from the ashes, stronger and more majestic than before.”  
“If Salamander is a Phoenix I must be a winged-horse” the brunette didn’t miss a beat “More like a troll, Harwood.” Newt bit back his laughter as their Professor stepped into the forest clearing.  
“Today we’re learning about Niffler’s, hide anything on your person that may be valuable.” She bit back laughter and looked at the adorable little creature Professor Kettleburn held in his hands.  
“Who can tell me about this little guy?” Newt and Annas hands immediately flew up  
“Yes, you there.” Newt looked to Anna, he’d taught her all about different kinds of magical creatures during their summer vacation.  
“Anna, Anna Carrio, sir. Niffler’s are rodent like creatures that are native to our section of the world, as you can see they have long snouts similar to the muggle Platypus and a sleek coat of soft, black, fluffy fur. They prefer to live in burrows extending at least 20 feet under the grounds surface and can produce six to eight young in a single litter. It’s also worth mentioning that they have a pouch that seems almost endless, much like our undetectable extension charm.” Newt chimed in  
“Niffler’s are gentle by nature and even affectionate to those that own them, but they can be destructive in their efforts to track down treasures. It’s for that reason it is inadvisable to keep them as pets.” Anna smiled and Professor Kettleburn looked impressed.  
“15 points to each of you for your extensive knowledge, well done Hufflepuff house!” he clapped his…hands? Together, only now had she noticed one of his hands was actually more like a claw, it was slightly unnerving.  
“Today you’ll be merely studying the Niffler’s, as I’ve stated, please hide anything you deem valuable lest they snatch it.” With that students split off into groups until the class period ended.  
“You, dear Anna, are my finest student.” She laughed at Newts imitation at being a professor “Well, Professor Scamander, I had a wonderful teacher.” He had to admit the sound of being called a professor didn’t sound horrid to him, perhaps once he finished school he could come back and teach Care of Magical creatures for a while…  
“You flatter me.” She laughed again as she led him to their niffler, the little creature was sniffing around the stump, it’s beady black eyes peered up as they approached, Anna stared at the strange animal who in turn entered into a staring contest of sorts with the Hufflepuff girl before inching closer to her, snout in the air, sniffing at her.  
“Hey there little guy…”  
“Careful, Anna, Nifflers are precocious creatures.” No sooner had the words left Newts mouth had the little beast scurried up her robes, eliciting a shrill scream from the girl whose hair was slowly fading between red, pink and black.  
“Looks like Anna only attracts beasts.”  
“I mean, She is friends with salamander. He’s a creature all his own.” A furry black head popped out of her robe sleeve, peering at newt.  
“Why you little—” suddenly the creature dove back into her robes, it wasn’t until the things claws scraped just under her bust that she flattened herself against the ground, effectively stopping the little monster.  
“Oof! All right you little pest, OUT!” Newt watched with interest as she basically body slammed the creature who had attempted to make a home in her uniform. Anna fished around her shirt, dragging the niffler out by the scruff of his neck.  
“You! Are a foul, Vile little—” she stopped as the niffler tried to sway her, giving her an almost puppy dog look, Newt quirked a brow at the creatures behavior, his eyes trailing down just a bit from Anna’s face to see that his friends shirt had come unbuttoned as the niffler crawled over her torso, a bright red dusted his face.  
“A-Anna…” he coughed, looking away uncomfortably “You’ve, you um…your…” he kept pointing but she was determined to put the little critter in his place.  
“Nice rack, Carrio, looks like the niffler’s aren’t the only precocious thing in this clearing.” The voice of one of the Slytherin’s they shared class with snapped her out of her angry tangent, finally her eyes trailed down and her hair settled on a very vibrant pink as she dropped the niffler who quickly scurried towards Newt who placed it on his shoulder.  
Anna made quick work of rebuttoning her shirt before grabbing her bag, her embarrassment too great to continue on with class.  
“Anna?” she didn’t say anything to him as she sprinted form the forest clearing, some laughter echoing behind her. Newt set the niffler back on the tree stump and hurried after her, earning a perplexed look from Kettleburn.  
\--  
He found her collapsed in the Hufflepuff common room, a blanket draped over her figure as if hiding there would shield her from the world.  
“Anna?”  
“Go away!” he flinched, her words were harsh but it didn’t sway his decision to sit next to her, drawing her into a hug and letting her head rest on his shoulder. she put up no fight. The sudden sound of tears stirred him from his thoughts of hexing the Slytherin boy .  
“Anna?” her hair had faded to dark blue and he brought his hand up to rest atop her head, ruffling her hair as he so frequently did when she was upset “Hey, shh…shh. I’m here. I’m here.” His voice was soft and calming as sobs wracked her small frame, he hated when she cried.  
“It’s all right, Anna. I’m right here.” He reassured again, moving his hand from her head to her shoulders, giving one a firm squeeze.  
“You’re s-so kind…” her words came out almost choked, breaking the tear-filled silence.  
“It’s a fault of mine, truly.” He heard her choke out a weak laugh “Not a fault, it’s what makes you different.” Different…he never thought he’d like that word when in reference to himself, but if it was coming from the girl next to him, he didn’t mind being ‘different’ he turned to look at her only to be met with her dual colored, brown and green eyes staring up at him, hesitantly he reached his hand up and brushed a stray tear from the corner of her eye, running his thumb over the soft skin of her cheek.  
“Newt?” it would be so easy to take advantage of their close quarters and kiss her, something he’d imagined a few times since the year had started, but he had held himself back, not wanting to endanger their already existing relationship.  
“Anna could I…Wh-what I mean to say is…” how did one go about phrasing this sort of question.  
“Do you think that maybe I could…Keep you?” oh that was good, real good, he made it sounds like she was some new creature for him to study.  
_‘Smooth, Scamander, real smooth, she probably thinks you a total idiot! ‘can I keep you?’ oh Merlin, just kill me now’_ he mentally berated himself as the girl before him stared in confusion as his words sank in  
“You mean like…as your girlfriend?” her words startled him out of his self-deprecation “Pardon?” he wasn’t sure he’d heard her right, that his won ears must be playing some cruel joke on him, and fate was somewhere, laughing at his expense.  
“W-well y-yes, that…that was what I m-meant to ask, but it just sort of s-slipped out the way it did. I didn’t mean to say keep you, as if to insinuate that you were a specimen to keep, I merely meant that…I mean to say…” as the quirky Hufflepuff boy rambled, a smile returned to Anna’s face.  
“Newt!” he stopped rambling, peering through her bangs at her, “y-yes?” green eyes were wide and hopeful.  
“You can keep me.” He suddenly felt a smile tug the corner of his lips upwards, his eyes lit up. It certainly hadn’t been the way he’d played this scenario out in his head, but he was just happy she’d said yes.


	4. Year 3 part 2

News traveled quick, the two had kept it a secret until December rolled around again, all eyes had been on Newt and Anna as they descended the stairs, hands intertwined. Keeping it quiet had been difficult, sure, Anna and Newt had both written their parents, needless to say Newts parents approved, Annas were a bit skeptical but eventually the idea grew on them, asking if Newt would be joining them for a visit soon, the small bit of acceptance from her parents filled her with joy, perhaps they were finally accepting she was a witch.  
“It’s about time!” The two quickly jumped apart as the voice of Everett Froste reached their ears “We’d started a betting pool, y’see, the majority voted that it’d be our last year before the two of you got together.”  
“You were betting on this?!” Annas hair faded to a bright pink and newts face dusted with a similar color.  
“ ‘Course, you two have basically been inseparable since last year.”  
“was it really that obvious.” Sure, Newt had been sneaking glances at her during classes but he didn’t think anyone would notice. Obviously, he had been wrong…so. very. wrong.  
“Your subtlety is similar to that of an erumpent, Scamander.” Everett clapped a hand on the boys shoulder “Besides, you got one of the prettier girls in our house, don’t blow it.” Anna only felt the heat in her cheeks increase at the compliment. Newt glanced back at her, he knew his housemate was right, Anna was pretty in an unusual way, and unusual things were certainly his forte.  
“Yes, I suppose you’re right…” Everett just shook his head “Newt, I’m going to head over to the owlery, I’ve got a letter home, see you in the great hall?”  
“Of course.” She smiled and hurried out the portrait, her hair fading back to brown as she went.  
“So, you kissed her yet?” Newts face turned a brilliant shade of cherry at the other boys question.  
\--  
“Mister Liverich…Mister locketon…Miss Limsey…” Professor Ustrina rattled off names of students, checking them off as she went down the row of first timers, today was their first trip to Hogsmeade, well…newt and Annas first trip, the actual first trip she had come down with a fever and Newt insisted on staying with her, despite her protests that he needed to go have fun.  
“Into the carriage you go, it’s just a short ride away.” Anna knew from older students that walking would take about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on if you got lost or not.  
“So, what are you most excited to see?”  
“Well, I did hope to see Dogweed and Deathcap, see if I could find some potions ingredients, I’m running low on a few things. What about you?”  
“Well, I had planned on visiting the three broomsticks, I’ve been rather curious about Butterbeer, and then maybe to Gladrags wizard wear, My shoes have seen better days.” Two sets of eyes trailed down to her more than holey shoes.  
“You’d think them saintly.” Newt tilted his head at her comment “I’m sorry?”  
“Saintly…because, y’know, they’re holey.” He snorted indignantly, a goofy smile plastering on his face “You’re terrible at telling jokes, Anna.”  
“I’ve been told. but it got you to smile, didn’t it?”  
‘So, have you kissed her yet?’ Everett Froste’s words echoed in his mind, they’d been a secret couple for two months now and he’d not kissed her, he felt something like that was best saved for something special, it was something to be remembered, not just something casual one did because they felt obligated. The rest of the ride was pleasantly silent until carriage stopped abruptly sending the brunette girl flying into Newts Lap…in a rather suggestive manner.  
“O-Oh…terribly s-sorry, N-Newt. I g-guess I was so lost in thought a-and the carriage just stopped so…so abruptly that I—” was this his moment? No, no he’d wait but he’d discovered something new about her in their sudden close proximity, her green eye held fleck of gold, almost resembling a constellation pattern and the center of her brown eye was almost the color of clover honey.  
“It’s f-fine.” He breathed out, the scent of her filled is senses, it was calming like jasmine flowers and vanilla, it was so very… “Intoxicating” Anna had pried herself off of the poor guy and righted herself  
“Did you say something?” he shook his head vehemently as he straightened his robes, “Nothing at all. Sh-Shall we?” he helped her out of the carriage, carefully, so she wouldn’t slip on the icy cobblestones of the pathway.  
“Do you want to go to Dogweed and Deathcap first, from there maybe we could swing by Ollivander’s, My wands in need of a bit of fixing.” She fished it out of her robe and showed him the taped up end.  
“I had a bit of an accident in dueling club, needless to say, I’m the reason we don’t keep wands in our back pockets anymore.” Newt laughed again, this time at her expense, “’S not funny, Newt!” he coughed.  
“Right, terribly sorry.”  
“You should be, you’d think you were brought up by your beasts, the way you act sometimes.” His jaw dropped, but he knew she was right.  
“So, Dogweed and Deathcap for supplies, then Ollivander’s for your wand repairs, Maybe the three broomsticks for lunch and then Gladrags before we leave?” with a nod the two set off into the village.  
\--  
The supply store had been rather strange, filled with all manner of scents from Asphodel to sage, they also had certain potions on display for students to inspect and ask questions about. Newt himself had purchased his necessary items, some beetle eyes, a jar of asphodel leaves and some Belladonna. However, as the two turned to exit the shop, Anna caught the smell of Pine and soil mixed with varying wild berries. She’d never know she had smelt Amortentia.  
Next was Ollivander’s wand shop, the elderly man poked his head out of his workshop, taking a look at the girls wand before giving her a grandfatherly smile, “Miss Carrio, a pleasure to see you again. I remember the day you stepped into my wand shop, Pine and phoenix feather, 11 ½ inches, an unusual wand for a Hufflepuff I do say; however, I expect to hear great things about you someday.” Newt listened intently to the old man before looking to his girlfriend. “Come back in about an hour, I’ll have it good as new, and with a fresh polish, free of charge.”  
“Thank you very much, Mr. Ollivander.” Leaving the wand shop behind the Hufflepuff Duo headed for the Three Broomsticks.  
“It’s so…homey.” The interior reminded her of her grandmother’s place, the hardwood flooring and wooden furnishings, it brought a warm expression to her face as her head played through memories. Picking a seat by the fire place they ordered two butterbeers and some food.   
“So, phoenix feather?” brown and green stared back with curiosity “Yeah, I didn’t know much about my wand when I first started but apparently it’s unusual for Hufflepuff’s to have wands of such types, usually wands like mine are more so seen with witches or wizards of the Ravenclaw or Gryffindor houses, but I’ve always been a bit of a creative mind, and fiercely loyal…” she coughed, “To a fault, some would say.”  
“Well, if it’s of any consolation, I find it admirable, you’ve always thought of interesting ways to get out of situations.” The barmaid brought their drinks and food wishing them well as she walked off, tray in hand.  
“So, my parents have been wondering if yours would like to join us for the holidays, they’ve really been trying to be more magic friendly.” This lifted a small weight from the teens shoulder, he’d seen the slightly disapproving looks when they’d departed kings cross end of 2nd year.  
“That’s wonderful news, I could pen a quick letter home and send it out by owl post before we leave.” He looked up from his mug of butterbeer and snorted, Anna had a foam mustache from the frothy drink.  
“Well, you’d make a very handsome man.” She quirked a brow and quickly wiped her mouth upon realization. “You’re truly awful!” the sound of music stirred them from their playful argument. A few coupled here and there had stepped away from their tables to dance. The idea crossed Newt’s own mind.  
“W-Would you care to, um…” he motioned to the floor “I…I have two left feet.”  
“Don’t worry, me too. Never been much of a dancer.”  
“I was once so eloquently compared to, and I quote, a drunken armadillo.”  
“What’s an armadillo?” the music continued to rage in the background  
“Some strange creature that rolls around, My cousins sent me a book of animals for my birthday one year. That aside though, us dancing should give the older students new fuel for years.” It was newts turns to raise an eye brow.  
“You want them to laugh at us?”  
“Obviously not, but dancing does sound like fun. And they all seem happy.” She motioned to the odd couples, so, dance was what they did, earning a few comments from the older couples in the pub.  
“I think you dance wonderfully.” Anna felt her cheeks heat up, losing her focus and stepping on his toes.  
“Oh! Newt. I am so sorry!”  
“No, don’t worry about it.” The music slowly came to an end and the spotty couples took their seats. There was a brief moment of silence between the two Hufflepuff students, Anna’s eyes were on her drink the second she sat down, and Newts eyes were darting about the room.  
“So I—”  
“You’re a wonderful—” laughter, neither could help it “You first.” Anna insisted, her mother had always taught her it was rude to interrupt.  
“I was going to say, you dance wonderfully.” He watched as a light dusting of pink covered her cheeks again, he loved that about her, she was so shy about compliments, he thought it cute.  
“I was just going to say I thought that went well, I only stepped on you once. Oh! I got a bit of interesting news; did you know we’re hosting the tri-wizard tournament next year?” Newts expression perked up.  
“How’d you hear that?”  
“Headmaster Black was talking about it with the other heads of houses, supposedly we’re housing Ilvermorny and Castelobruxo, the American and Brazilian wizarding schools, it’s exciting, isn’t it?”  
“You were eavesdropping, Anna?” she shrugged “If they didn’t want students overhearing maybe talking about it in the corridors wasn’t a smart idea.”  
“All right, I’ll give you that one. So, think you’ll put your name in?” she looked at him like was crazy, “Now why would I risk my life in a tournament where people can die?”  
“Because I think you’d be excellent!” she was taken-a-back by his forwardness.  
“Fine, I’ll put my name in if you put yours in too.” Now it was Newt’s turn to be startled.  
“M-Me? That’s the most insane, the most ridiculous—” he trailed off noticing her serious expression “Fine.” Her expression shifted to excitement, “Think about it, it could be our greatest story from school, Newt!” Anna had changed so much from last year, having someone to talk to had really brought her out of her shell, he’d almost mistake her for a Gryffindor with her new-found courage.  
“Your wand should be fixed, we can pick it up and owl post my letter then go back to the castle.” With that the two left some coins on the table and left the establishment.  
\--  
*A few days later*  
“Newt, what’ve you got there?” Anna looked down at the little creature in his hands, “It’s a raven chick, I found it by the lake, mother must have abandoned it.”  
“Oh, poor thing.” She sat across from him in the window sill, “Are you going to put it in your trunk?” he looked as though the idea hadn’t even occurred to him, “That’s a wonderful idea, Anna!” both were startled out of their conversation by a girl skidding to a stop on the staircase, she looked frantic.  
“Oh, Hello.” The girl looked flushed “Hey, are you all right?” Anna moved and let her sit down “You look like you’ve just run the quidditch pitch.” Newt looked concerned for the dark-skinned girl.  
“Running…. hexed someone…chased.” It was then that Anna took notice of the girl’s house, the inside of her robes were green, she probably deserved the angry mob, but it wasn’t her place to judge.  
“Can you tell us your name?”  
“L-Leta, Leta Lestrange.”  
“I’m—”  
“Anna Carrio, yes, I know. I saw what those boys did to you last year.” Anna looked at the floor, it was a memory she’d rather forget, she had been scared of going near the black lake ever since for fear of being ambushed.  
“It was terrible what they did to Anna, if I hadn’t happened upon the scene she would have likely been killed.” Leta looked surprised,   
“I had no idea it was that serious, but I remember them talking about scaring you a bit.”  
“Yes well…they more than scared me, but it doesn’t matter, they were expelled. So, why were you running?”  
“I hexed this girl for talking behind my back, she said my family didn’t want me so I removed her mouth and then ran.”  
“Why did you do that?”  
“I…I panicked.” The two Hufflepuff’s shared a look “I know somewhere you can hide, but you have to keep it a secret.” Leta nodded and the three hurried up the rest of the stairs.  
“So, Anna, how come I’ve never seen this hiding place?” Newt feigned hurt as the brunette looked back at him “I’ve never needed it when I’m around you, but you get to see it now.”  
“I was only kidding, Anna.”  
“I know.” She led them through the seventh floor, looking for the right tapestry, “Oh, Barnabus the barmy, where are you?”  
“Barnabus?” Newt was confused suddenly there was a cracking sound and Anna beamed. “There it is!” there was a sudden pair of grand stone doors.

“They call it the come and go room according to the house elves, it only shows itself to those in need, a room of requirement of sorts. We can hide out in here until things cool down.” She cautiously pushed the door open, stepping into the room, “It’s different every time based on the persons need, we needed a place to hide so I guess it chose a sitting area.” Newt and Leta looked on with wonder.  
“How did you find this room?” Newt and Leta took separate seats on one of the plush couches, enjoying the warmth of the fire provided.  
“That involves going back to first year, and it’s something I’d rather not talk about, not right now.” Newt left the subject alone, understanding she’d tell him when she was ready.  
“Thank you so much, Anna.” The brunette looked at the dark-skinned girl who took a seat in one of the overly stuffed arm chairs, three cups of hot chocolate appeared on the center table  
“Don’t worry about it, this will pass and the other kids will move onto something worse by tomorrow.” She reached for a mug of the warm chocolate liquid, smiling at the faint smell of peppermint from her mug.  
“Oh, Newt, where did you store that little raven?”  
“It’s here, in my coat pocket.” He fished the baby bird out of his robe pocket and showed his friend.  
“Is that…where did you find it?” Leta was intrigued.  
“He found the little thing by the lake.”  
“I think it’s mother must have abandoned it.”  
“Poor thing. You know, my family bird is the raven.”  
\--  
The odd trio had been inseparable, Anna defended Leta if people tried to get violent by changing her face into horrific things, and for a while Leta had been quick to defend the Metamorphmagus for a while…until she really needed it, then things took a turn.  
“filthy Sewer blood.” She felt her shoulder connect with the hard stone of the floor, Newt and Leta were nowhere to be found.  
“Your little freak boyfriend and blood traitor friend aren’t here to save you now.” It had been true, Newt and Leta had been spending an awful lot of time together as of late, she wondered where they were always getting off to.  
“No, they may not be here Ms. Pettly, however, I am. Please remove your hands from Ms. Carrio’s hair.” Esme Pettly looked terrified, she’d been caught red handed by a professor, the blonde let the smaller Hufflepuff girl fall to the ground.  
“that’s 150 points from Gryffindor, Ms. Pettly. If you go now, I assure I won’t make your punishment greater.” The blonde stuffed her wand back in her robe pocket and took off, Anna’s eyes drifted to see Professor Dumbledore.  
“Are you unharmed, Anna?” he gave her a gentle hand up, checking her over for injuries.  
“I-I’m fine professor, but my arm…” Dumbledore was one of the younger professors, with short brown hair and a beard to match, he looked very regal, always in a tailored suit of some sort.  
“Right, well let’s get you to the hospital wing, I’ll see to it your friends are alerted.”  
Sadly, neither chose to show up…


	5. year 3 end.

Anna would see Newt in classes but he barely acknowledged her presence, despite the two of them supposedly dating, she wondered what was going on, but figured it best to keep to yourself. You’d even gone home for the holidays and Newt had invited Leta to his place for Christmas as she had no place else to go so your plans had gone out the window.  
“Ah, Anna, just who I was wanting to see.” Since the incident just before Christmas she’d been working with Dumbledore on ways to defend herself.  
“Today we’ll work on—”  
“Professor?”  
“Yes, Anna?” the brunette looked hesitant, her green and brown eyes cast to the floor.  
“Why are you helping me? You haven’t got any obligation to do so.”  
“I guess you could say…I route for the underdogs, Miss Carrio. I see great potential in you, and you want to be prepared for next year if you put your name in to represent us, don’t you?” she looked up startled.  
“How did you—?”  
“You should try talking to the portraits sometime, they’ll tell you a lot.” There was a twinkle in his eyes, she could feel a smile tug at her lips.  
“Eyes everywhere, Anna. Nothing goes on in this castle that the headmaster and staff don’t know about, that includes student affairs.” She looked about in wonder.  
“you may learn some history from the portraits as well, that could come in handy. Now, repeat after me, Everte statum”  
“Everte…statum?” Dumbledore merely smiled “That was good, but now try with your wand, and aim at that chair.” He placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her towards the object before stepping back.  
“Focus Anna” she nodded, loosening the grip on her wand a bit and clearing her head before snapping her wrist, “Everte statum!” the chair shot backwards and broke apart, connecting with the stone wall of the classroom.  
“Wonderful!” he made quick work of repairing the broken chair, putting it back into position.  
“Once more, your wand work was a bit sloppy, make sure you’re flicking your wrist, not snapping it.” She nodded, shifting her stance a bit and taking his words to heart as she cast the spell again, blasting the chair to pieces as it flew back once more.  
“Spectacular, well done, Anna!” she’d never admit it, but she was picturing Leta’s face the second time.  
“No, we’re going to try a smokescreen spell, I’m sure you’ve seen it cast before, it’s called Fumos.”  
\--  
Spring was fast approaching and Anna was on her way to her private lessons when a sudden hand on her shoulder caused her to panic, she turned, wand at the ready.  
“Whoa, Anna, it’s me!” her heart continued to race as she came face to face with newt.  
“Oh…it’s just you.” Saying the girl was cross with him would be an understatement.  
“What do you want, Newton?”  
“You’re angry, why are you angry?” she continued walking as he matched his pace to hers.  
“Oh, I don’t know, the fact you’ve ignored me for the better part of two months and now you’ve decided to talk to me? The fact you spend every waking moment with Leta Lestrange, I thought when you’d asked me out, you’d be spending time with me, but since she’s come along it’s like you only see her.” Newt was flummoxed, he’d never heard her sound so angry, not even when that Niffler crawled through her robes during Care of Magical Creatures class.  
“You’re upset over Leta?” she had every right to be, being a couple, at least in her experience, meant doing things together, not being forgotten so your supposed boyfriend could go gallivanting off with other girls.  
“Yes, Newton, I’m upset about Leta, you’ve been a terrible boyfriend and an even worse friend, the both of you, actually. Where were you both when Esme Pettly was attacking me, were you snogging in the library?” hurt was clear on the boys face.  
“Well, what about you? You’ve been less than accommodating to Leta.”  
“Less than…Less than Accommodating, Newt, what would have me do. I defend her against kids who could easily kill me should they so please, there’s hundreds of ways to go about it here, death in the forbidden forest, they could leave me to the centaurs, or any number of other creatures, or perhaps you’d forgotten about the attempted drowning last year, they could hang my body form the quidditch posts, TAKE YOUR PICK, NEWTON!”  
“You’re overreacting, Anna.”  
“No, Newt, If I were overreacting would Dumbledore be giving me defensive spell lessons during free period when he could eb doing half a million other things?!” the reddish haired Hufflepuff was stunned/  
“Why would you…Why would you need special defense lessons?”  
“Because the second you and Leta ditched me, the less than friendly purebloods had to have someone to torment, didn’t they, and who better than the lowly muggle-born Hufflepuff?!” He watched as her hair turned a violent shade of red, she knew she was wasting her time explaining things to him.  
“You know, why am I even telling you this, you don’t care, she doesn’t care, I hope the two of you are happy together, Newton.”  
“Ann, Had I known they’d attacked you…”  
“Save it, Newt. Have a nice life.” He reached out to grab her robe as she walked away but pulled his hand back at the last second, the severity of the situation sank in.  
“Newton Artemis Fido Scamander, you really buggered this one up.” He muttered to himself as she walked away from him.  
\--  
He’d tried on multiple occasions to get her to talk to him in the security of the Hufflepuff dorms but she’d always find a way to avoid him, word must have gotten around about his poor treatment of her.  
“Anna, please talk to me” he’d taken notice that she hadn’t left the dorms to go to class.  
“Go away!”  
“I’m not leaving until you talk to me!” his stubbornness was his worst trait, but he hoped it won out in this argument.  
“And I’m not talking to you until you go away!”  
“That’s not…Anna open this door or I will.” He was getting irritated  
“If you open this door I’ll cast the caterwauling charm.”  
“You wouldn’t dare.”  
“Try me, Newton.” Her tone was in fact, one of challenge and he’d had enough.  
“If you don’t come out here and talk to me I guess I’ll just go to Dumbledore and—” the door swung up and suddenly he was met with a fist in his face.  
“You….You…total…Asshole!” he stared up at her, how was it possible for her to hit so hard? “We were supposed to be dating, you asked me out, remember, or was your head so far up Leta’s Arse that you’d forgotten? You haven’t said a word to me in months!” her hair was that same shade of almost blood red, but there was something different, a small hint of blue in her bangs, he actually caused her pain.  
“I’m sorry…”  
“Sorry! that’s all you have to say?!” Her eyes were stormy.  
“Yes.”   
“Good bye, Newton.” She walked past her now ex-boyfriend and headed for the portrait hole.  
“Anna. Anna Wait.” She ignored him as he scrambled after her, slamming the portrait behind her and sprinting off up the stairs.  
\--  
It was nearing the end of the school year and her lessons with Dumbledore were ending.  
“Thank you so much for all your help this year, Professor.”  
“Please, no thanks necessary, Anna. And now you have a leg up for next year.” He winked playfully, she’d come to see the soon to be defense against the dark arts professor as a parental figure. She just shook her head at his antics.  
“Oh, before you go, there’s someone here to see you. Come on in, Newt.” Her smile faded as her ex-friend stepped out of the back office.  
“You!” Newts eyes widened, her face was one of pure betrayal, “Anna, you two need to talk this out.”  
“There’s nothing to talk about, professor.”  
“Anna, please.” She could hear the desperation in his voice and see it in his eyes.  
“I’m sorry about Leta.”  
“It’s always about Leta, Newt…I can’t…I defended her, against her own house no less, and now she’s…” he caught the mix of emotions stirring in her eyes. The dark-skinned girl had been kind of clingy since the day in the come-and-go room, yet it didn’t click until now.  
“Anna, I’m truly sorry. I didn’t know how you were feeling, it was just nice having another person to talk to, it’s always just been the two of us.”  
“Well, lately it’s just been the two of you, Newt…I went back to being alone, you even stood me up at Christmas to be with her…” she had him there, but in his mind, he was being kind, helping out a friend. he hadn’t even thought about her feelings.  
The reddish haired boy stepped towards her as a few tears rolled down her fair cheeks, her hair was fading to blue, She made no attempts to move as he pulled her in for a hug, Anna made no attempts to hug him back, instead she just let the sobs wrack her body, her tears soaking his house jumper, Newt made no protests.  
“You’re right, I’ve been terrible to you.” He pulled her back, holding her at arm’s length, “How about, to make up for Christmas, I come spend time with you this summer, I can travel through the floo network.”  
“The what?” she looked up with red, puffy eyes. “The floo network, it’s faster than the knight bus.”  
“The knight…what?” she had no knowledge of magical transport.  
“You…they didn’t teach you about the magical transportation?” She shook her head, obviously out of the loop.  
“Well the floo network is basically traveling through a fireplace and the Knight bus is for stranded witches or wizards.” She nodded, letting him believe she was stupid enough not to know what either thing was, she’d used the floo network to travel to Diagon Alley her first year, her parents had completely freaked out at the idea of being engulfed by magical fire.  
“So you mean to tell me, that all this time, I could have traveled through the fire place?” she pretended to sniffle.  
“Yeah, basically.” Dumbledore quirked a brow at her play at stupidity, wondering how long she’s let him think she was that uneducated, but also if he’d be a terrible instructor for magicking in some popcorn. Anna Carrio would have been a superb fit for Gryffindor house, he’d noticed her small affinity for mischief, but Hufflepuff had been the best fit, the hat was never wrong.  
“Well, are you two going to make up, because we have a lesson to see to, Anna.”  
“O-Oh, right! Sorry professor.” She looked sheepish.  
“I’ll see you in the great hall for dinner, Newt, we can talk more then.” A smile broke out on the boy’s face “Oh, and Newt?” he turned about to open the door.  
“I suggest you practice your defensive spells or I’m going to wipe the floor with you in classes next year. And Newt, don’t forget your promise.”  
“My promise?”  
“That if I put my name in, so would you.” The grin was back, “You’re on, Carrio. Maybe you can teach me a few things this summer.” With that he was gone.  
“So, onto our lesson, Anna. Today’s spell will be Repello inimicum.”  
\--  
It was finally time to travel home and she spotted Newt and Leta both on the train platform.  
“Oh, Anna!” she put on a fake smile as Leta addressed her, “Sorry about taking up so much of Newts time, it’s just nice to have someone to finally talk to.”  
“Yes, well. He’s a very good listener.” She noticed Leta’s arm draped around Newts who looked uncomfortable.  
“Leta, please let go of my arm.” The dark-skinned Slytherin hesitated but did as he asked, giving Anna an almost sickeningly sweet smile.  
“So, I’ve heard you were getting advanced lessons from Professor Dumbledore, what’s he been teaching you?”  
“Defensive spells, mostly. A few offensive spells as well, he wants me to help with demonstrations for next years dueling club.”  
“Anna, that’s wonderful news!” Newt brought his hand up, ruffling her hair.  
“I’ll make sure to sign up, hopefully you’ll be a good teacher.” Leta was going to sign up for Dueling club? Fourth year was going to be an interesting year. “And I’ll be there as well.” Newt assured, she smiled.  
“All right, onto the train, both of you, we’ve got a long trip back to King’s cross.”  
And so another year came to an end, none of them knew the tribulations they would face next year.


	6. Year 4 start.

Anna and Newt stepped onto the platform, she’d wound up staying with the Scamander family, this time though it was longer than anticipated. Her own parents being called off on business elsewhere. Anthea seemed to adore having another girl in the house and made the young Hufflepuff feel more than welcome.  
“You two have a good fourth year, Theseus told me they’re hosting the Tri-wizard tournament at Hogwarts.”  
“Yeah, I over heard the professors talking about it last year with Headmaster Black.” She remembered Dumbledore telling her the next time she wanted information to talk to the portraits and a small laugh escaped her.  
“Oh, wonderful, so you already knew.” Anna nodded, leaving her trolley with the train attendant as they walked towards one of the open train doors.  
“Well, you’ll have to write me when they announce the champions, Maybe it’ll be Thes.” Climbing onto the train newt hugged his mother good bye and the two teens set off searching for an empty compartment.  
“Newt, Anna!” A familiar head of dark hair poked out of a compartment, motioning them inside.  
“How was your summer, Leta?”  
“I went to Paris for a while, it was interesting learned about some of the wizarding culture over there, and we met a Veela. What about you two, then?”  
“Oh, I spent a majority of the summer with Anna, her parents got called away on hospital business.” Leta looked at Anna.  
“I didn’t know you’re parents were doctors, I bet you know a lot of medical things then, are you good at herbology?” Anna bit back laughter, at least Leta was being friendly now, a complete 180 from last year.  
“No, I’m rubbish at Herbology, but Newt’s been helping me, I think we actually have it together this year, what about you. What are your classes looking like?” Newt Leaned back in his seat, relieved the two females were getting on.  
“I have defense against the dark arts with you and Newt, and I did opt into the dueling club, I look forward to your and Dumbledore’s lessons, Anna. I think I might also have potions with the two of you as well.”  
“I’m not going to go easy on anyone during dueling demonstrations, I expect you both to do the same.” Newts ears perked up.  
“Anna, did you tell her?”  
“Tell me, tell me what?” Anna grinned. “We’re putting our names in for the tri-wizard tournament.” She looked less than excited.  
“People die in that tournament, Anna.” Leta thought the brunette out of her mind.

“You only live once, right?”  
“Newt, talk some sense into her.”  
“Why, it’d only go in one ear and out the other, she’s been dead set on this since last year when she found out.”  
“And you’re just going to go along with it?”  
“Of course, I’m not going to break my promise, Leta.” The dark-skinned teen just shook her head, “You two are the most daft Hufflepuff’s I’ve ever met.” In her mind she was already working out ways to stop them as the familiar countryside rolled past them like a memory.  
\--  
Once the sorting of new students had finished and they’d gone to their assigned tables Headmaster Black stepped up to the podium.  
“Students, before we begin our annual welcoming feast, I have an announcement.” Murmurs already echoed in the hall.  
“This year will be a very special occasion, we’re hosting the Tri-wizard tournament and our sister schools Ilvermorny and Castelobruxo will be joining us on our campus. I urge you, upon their arrival to be welcoming and accommodating. They will attend lessons with you as well, so please help your fellow witches and wizards, as we await their arrival to our school, I am pleased to announce classes will be delayed until next week to give them and yourselves a chance to settle in and catch up with your friends as well as make new ones.” The murmurs grew,  
“Lastly, you’ll notice a small change to your schedules, if you have a free period you’ll take dancing lessons with your respective head of house in preparation for the Yule Ball, it’s an ancient tradition and as much a part of this tournament as the challenges themselves. Now, with all that out of the way, enjoy the feast.” Anna slammed her head down on the table, Newt patted her back.  
“Hey, it could be worse.”  
“How, how could it be worse?” she turned to look at him. “You could…You could be…yeah, I’ve got nothing. But you did fine dancing with me at the three broomsticks last year. Anna hid her face at the memory.  
“No, I stepped on your toes.”  
“Only the one time.” Her green eye peeked out to look at him, “Is that suppose to make me feel better, I’m a rubbish dancer, Newt.”  
“Oh come on, Anna. It’s not that bad, we’ll be learning together so we can laugh at each other at least.” Nothing, she didn’t even twitch at his joke.  
“Come on, eat something. The other schools will likely be here tomorrow, and you don’t want to look sickly, do you?”  
“Leave me here to die, Newt.”  
“Always with the melodramatics.” Leta suddenly plopped down in front of them.  
“What’s wrong with Anna?” she looked at the brunette whose hair was shifting to black,  
“She’s none thrilled about the dancing announcement, we’ve both got two left feet I’m afraid.  
“Anna, come on, it won’t be that bad, and if it is you can just laugh it off.” She flicked a pea at her friend trying to get her to at least lift her head off the wooden surface.  
“You shouldn’t waste food, Leta. There are starving children in the world.” Leta quirked a brow at the girl’s statement and Newt was just at a loss for words as to how to respond.  
“What?” their shared question went unanswered as Anna started piling food onto her plate.  
\--  
The other two schools would be arriving today and everyone was chattering in the corridors and through lunch.  
“I Wonder what the other schools are like.” Leta was excited.  
“I hear Ilvermorny students don’t get their wands until they are sorted, and that if more than one house wants them they get to choose.”  
“That’s certainly better than having it chosen for you.” There was a sudden rumbling of footsteps from the entry way.  
“Think that’s them?”  
“It has to be. I’d guess everyone else is here in the great hall.” Newt did have a point, attendance to tonight’s feast was mandatory unless you were ill.  
“Before we begin tonight’s Feast, let us welcome Ilvermorny and Castelobruxo.” The doors to the hall opened and kids in Blue and Cranberry colored robes swept into the area, heads held high to show their school pride, they’d been told it was 4th years and up in terms of participation so they were all kids in the 14-17 year range.  
“Huh…our uniforms are pretty similar, only they all share a color.” Anna was unimpressed as she watched the students divide up, some of the older ones taking places in the front of the hall, wands pointed towards the ceiling, a spell cast to show the four houses of Ilvermorny.  
“Show off’s” Leta scoffed under her breath, Anna spared her a glance, intrigued by the strange animals displayed in the enchanted starry night above their heads. The students split off taking seats at random tables after that.  
Suddenly, vines slithered along the floors, Anna quickly lifted her feet, remembering a particularly nasty incident during her first year herbology lessons, she’d gotten too close to one of the venomous Tentacula plants set aside for a later class and it had not ended well.  
“This must be Castelobruxo, their students have always been well versed in Herbology and Magizoology. Newt. You might make some new friends.” The idea did sound appealing, they were two of his favorite subjects. The students of the Brazilian school popped out of some rather large flowers that sprouted from the intricate vine work in robes of bright green, it set off nicely against their more sun kissed skin.  
“they’re very…tropical.” Anna smiled, admiring the use of plants to make an entrance.  
“Welcome to our fellow wizarding schools, we hope that you enjoy your stay with us for the school year’s duration. Now, without further ado, enjoy the feast.” The food appeared in an instant and soon the hall was filled with chatter.  
\--  
Needless to say, lessons were a mess it had been a week and the Ilvermorny and Castelobruxo students were still assimilating to not only the time zones but different school layout, Anna could count the amount of times a student from one school or the other had stopped her to ask directions, occasionally they’d be going to the same place, which was helpful.  
“So, Anna.” She nearly jumped out of her skin as Newt spoke, her mind had been on a potions essay and she hadn’t even heard him step next to her.  
“Geez, Newt, you startled me.” He let out a chuckle, “Already working on that homework?”  
“Of course. So, what did you want to talk about?”  
“Was wondering if you wanna go put our names in while we have a break.”  
“Our names?” she was confused for a moment before she remembered, “Oh, right! Yeah, I have time.”  
“I wonder what the tasks are going to be, I’ve read about past events, apparently they had an issue with a cockatrice once.” The two walked towards the great hall where the Goblet of Fire was sat, this week was set aside for entries, and come start of next week the school champions would be chosen.  
Tearing off a small sheet of parchment paper she scribbled her name across it, waiting for Newt to do the same when a couple of Ilvermorny students stepped in, Anna didn’t pay them much mind.  
“Ready?”  
“As I’ll ever be.” The two grinned and stepped forward, dropping their names in, Anna wondered if something would happen, but all that did was the fire grew briefly and then once more died down.  
“Well, that was anti-climactic.”  
“Well, not everything in the wizarding world can be fantastic.” Anna frowned at him, “That’s like saying all your beats can’t be exciting, Newt. I’m a muggle-born.” He looked taken-a-back at her statement. “Take that back, magical creatures are all fantastic.”  
“Oh really? Including the Grindilows?”   
“All right, I’ll concede on that one. Grindilows are terrifying.” Anna laughed at his comment, It had been nice since their unofficial break up last year, things had gone back to normal and neither spoke about it, it was like they’d just forgotten it had ever happened.  
“So, I still have free period since dancing lessons don’t start until next week, and I suppose my essay can wait, I’ve got time.” The two set off outside the castle.  
\--  
So, yeah this chapter was pretty crap, I’d love to hear from my fellow witches and wizards, I’m just really exited to get into the tri-wizard tournament, I have so many ideas that I’m working towards right now, the story itself should finally slow down with these newer chapters. I do plan to go back and rewrite things to make the first 2 years of their friendship more interesting


	7. year 4 part 2 (Champions)

Excitement filled the great hall on this windy night of September, it was the night they’d find out who each champion was.  
“I bet it’ll be one of the older kids, they have more experience.”  
“Yeah, but younger students will be more resourceful because of that lack of magical knowledge.” Leta rolled her eyes.  
“I wonder how many put their names in.” Newt muttered as he turned his eyes towards the front, the flaming goblet sat on the podium, the flames a brilliant blue situated in rather large brass goblet, he figured the name was supposed to be straight forward.  
“Plus, with it only being fourth year and up, that’s only three years worth of students, so odds will increase.”   
Things quieted as Headmaster Black stepped to the podium, a semblance of a smile on his face.  
“It is time for the goblet to choose our three champions, know that it is an honor to be chosen for these tasks and the goblet never chooses one who cannot handle the trials. Each champion shall be chosen if a band in your house color or school color appears around your wrist, best of luck to you who entered your names. Now, let us find out who our champions are, please stand if a wrist band appears.” The goblet’s fire shot up and students waited on bated breath for the first student to stand up, it was a boy from Castelobruxo who stood first, his left wrist raised in the air to display a bright green band on his right wrist. Headmaster black handed the paper down to Benedita Dourado.  
“The champion of Castelobruxo…” she opened the folded piece of parchment, “Sixth year student, Kain Sousa!” there was a look of pride in both the headmistress and the student’s eyes. Castelobruxo student erupted in cheers  
“Champions, please remain on your feet until your other competitors reveal themselves.” Suddenly the goblet roared to life again, another torn piece of parchment shot up and drifted into awaiting hands as eyes scanned the crowds to see who the next champion was. A pale hand reached into the air, all eyes on the fair woman, Esther Whiteacre, the headmistress of Ilvermorny school.  
All eyes were scanning the Ilvermorny students to see who would stand up, suddenly a girl with ginger colored hair stood, her left wrist in the air, decorated with a red and blue striped band.  
“The champion from Ilvermorny…” Esther looked down at the paper with a smile, “Seventh Year, Sarah Hale!” it was Ilvermorny’s turn to cheer, Sarah looked around sheepishly but kept her head held high.  
The goblet roared to life one last time, Headmaster black catching the final piece of parchment, the hall fell into hushed whispers and Anna’s eyes looked around before a sudden thud startled her.  
“Newt?” her concern soon grew into worry as she saw his wrist on the table, Newt had been chosen as the champion. He was going to be up against a witch and wizard with far more experience than himself.  
“Hey, come on, stand up!” he looked at her with uncertainty, “Newton Scamander, if you don’t stand up, I’ll make you stand up.” He quirked a brow at her, “And how are you going to do that?” suddenly she pinched him in the back of the neck and pulled upwards. He stood quickly.  
“OW! Okay, I’m up!” he quickly rose his wrist in the air.  
“Our Hogwarts Champion, Ladies and Gentlemen…” Headmaster Black unfolded the paper and read the name off, Newt quickly kicked Anna’s leg under the table, “Fourth year from Hufflepuff House, Newton Scamander!” Hogwarts students erupted in cheers, Anna clapped him on the back.  
“We have our champions!” Headmaster black called from the front of the great hall. “Now, enjoy your feast. Champions, when you are finished report to the trophy room for your first clue to your task.” With that the hall once again filled the voices of students.  
“If you ever do that to me again, I’ll shrink you down and….and…” Anna quirked her brow at him, “And what? Put me with the bowtruckle colonies?” he gave the idea a second thought.  
“Maybe…” he narrowed his eyes playfully. “Oh please, you’d never hurt me, Newt…”  
“Congratulations, little brother!” a large hand clapped Newt on the back and the smaller boy lurched forward.  
“Theseus? I figured you’d be upset. you put your name in too, right?” the older boy looked down to the brunette.  
“Yeah, but no big deal. Newt will finally have something interesting to tell people if he wins.” Anna narrowed her eyes, red tipped her hair.  
“You shouldn’t be cutting him down, you should be offering to help, you are his brother after all.” The dark-haired boy narrowed his eyes.  
“You would do well to show respect to your superiors, Miss Carrio.” She wondered if he was still upset about her thinking him conceited, but with the way he talked down to her only made her supposedly impure blood boil more.  
“Wouldn’t want anything to happen to my little brothers Sewer blooded girlfriend.” Her eyes widened at his statement, quickly finding the ground, a splashing sound filled her ears and the hall silenced.  
“You have NO RIGHT to speak to Anna that way!” Newts now shaking hand held a now empty goblet of pumpkin juice, the other balled tightly into a fist.  
“Muggle born students are beneath us, Newt. The sooner you see that, the better off you’ll be.”  
‘Beneath them…’ the words rang in Anna’s mind, “And beyond that, just look at her. Her eyes don’t match and she’s not even attractive. No one is going to love an opinionated woman.” Theseus stared straight at her as he spoke, reveling in her downcast eyes. Anna quickly stood and left the great hall.  
“Anna, Wait!” Newt called after her but she didn’t even pause in her steps.  
“You know what your problem is, Theseus? You have your head so far up the ministry’s arse, that I’m not even sure you can be considered human anymore.” With that said he shoved past his older sibling and ran after Anna, Leta followed suit not long after, shooting the Gryffindor a ruthless glare.  
\--  
“Anna!” the now black-haired girl still made no effort to stop, “ANNA!” he finally caught up to her, Leta stopped a few feet behind, a curious look on her face as Anna turned, eyes now red from crying, the Slytherin felt Pity rise in her stomach as Newt wiped a stray tear off Anna’s cheek.  
“Hey, Hey, don’t let anything my older brother says get to you, alright? He’s a fool.” He noticed she wouldn’t look at him and frowned. “Hey…” his voice was soft, and calming. Leta took the opportunity to place a hand on her friend’s shoulder.  
“The older students are jerks, Anna. Besides, who cares what he thinks, he’s just one guy.” Anna still didn’t look up.  
“Anna, Please look at me?” she shook her head, “Please, let me go, Newt, Leta…”  
“Not until you look up. You are beautiful.”  
“Newt’s right, You’re pretty in your own way, besides no one else at this school can change their appearance at will, that’s something only you can do.”  
“You’re also wonderful at magic, blood status doesn’t mean anything.” Brown and green finally met the eyes of her friend.  
“Theseus is right…” it hurt the two of them to hear her speak so brokenly.  
“No, No he’s not.” Leta’s voice was hard, “Who cares what that arrogant lion has to say. No one gets to tell you who you are.”  
“Anna.” Newt cut Leta off, “I have to go find out what the clue is, but I’ll see you in the common room.” He ruffled her hair in his usual fashion and hurried off.  
“Do you want to go for a walk?” Anna simply nodded her head and the two girls walked out into the cool night air.  
\--  
True to his word Newt had found her that evening on the couch in front of the fire, knees curled and tucked under her arms as she watched the flames dance.  
“Hey, still on your mind, huh?” usually her resilience was quicker, she didn’t let things like that bug her like they used to.  
“Yeah, Leta and I took a walk so I could clear my mind…but it didn’t work. What did I ever do to him?”  
“My brother has always been a bit of a git.” Wanting to change the topic now, thinking it may help get her mind off the subject she just went for it.  
“So…what’s your first clue?” Annoyed that she was now avoiding the issue he sighed but let her win this time.  
“A riddle” he fished a slightly crumpled piece of paper from his robe pocket and handed it over.  
” I know who I am, but who am I? If I am he, then he is me, me is him who I see, I am who, but who is he.” She tilted her head in confusion.  
“We all had the same reaction”  
“Well…My first guess would be twins, but it would never be that easy because of the ‘who is he?’ part. So we can rule it out as a possible answer.” And the two were off trying to figure out the riddle, Anna’s mind anywhere but on Theseus’ harsh words.  
“I wonder…” the two had been at the riddle for the better part of an hour now, “I know who I am…but who am I?...if I am He, then he is me, me is him who I see…”  
“Me is him who I see?”  
“OH! It’s your reflection!” Anna bounced in her seat, “My reflection?” Newt looked skeptical, “What does my reflection have to do with anything?”  
“Nothing. Maybe your first task is self-reflection. You know, like answering questions to get to the next clue.” Newt looked dumb-founded, had she really figured it out.  
“How were you not sorted into Ravenclaw?” She laughed “Because if I’d been sorted into Ravenclaw we never would have met and you’d still be working on this riddle.”  
“Touché” he muttered. “So, my first task is one of self-reflection…great, should be embarrassing.”  
“Hey, you’ll do great.” He’d succeeded in getting her mind of his brother’s cruel words and quickly solved the riddle.  
“So, when is the first task?”  
“In three days.”  
“Wow…they really aren’t giving you guys a lot of time.”  
“No, but once the first task is done we get two months to work out the next clue.” Anna yawned. “Well, two months is something. I bet the second task will be more difficult.”  
“I can only imagine. But at least for now I’ve got a lead on the other two champions.” Anna yawned again, leaning against Newts shoulder. “Well, I’ll help in any way I can, and I know Leta will as well.”  
“If you’re tired, you should go sleep.”  
“But I’m comfortable, here.” Newt rolled his eyes and laughed, “Whatever you say.” He draped an arm around her shoulders and leaned his head on hers, enjoying the smell of her shampoo and wondering when she had changed it to rose.   
Before either of them knew it, they had fallen asleep.  
\--  
So, this is the end of chapter 7, yes. It was another short chapter but I like where it ended, things are going to pick up in the next few chapters. The first task is going to be Newts easiest.


	8. year 4 part 3 task 1

The day of the first task was at hand and Newts was beyond himself with anxiety.  
“What if I screw up, the whole school is watching these tasks.” Anna slapped him, “Get a hold of yourself, Newt.” The Hufflepuff boy looked stunned. “You just slapped me.”  
“Yes, yes I did.”  
“Why?!” his hand covered the red spot on his cheek.  
“Because I’ve never known you to actually care what those people think, and they don’t matter anyways.” Suddenly she felt a pain against her own cheek, turning to face him with eyes almost as black as the night sky, a sardonic smile on her face.

“I’m going to punch your lights out, then you’ll really fail this task, Newt.” He’d slapped her back as payback, now the two stood, staring at one another before Newt scurried off at full speed out the common room entrance.  
“NEWTON ARTEMIS FIDO SCAMANDER! GET YOUR CREATURE LOVING ARSE BACK HERE!” She sped after the yellow and black clad boy, cursing her short stature as he hopped down the moving stair cases two steps at a time.  
“Don’t make me stun you!” Newt laughed as he turned a corner into a different corridor, she quickly followed him, her wand drawn.  
“Colloshoo!” Newt came to an abrupt stop, falling flat on his face as his shoes magically stuck to the floor, catching up to him she plopped down on his back.  
“Get off me, Anna!”  
“Not until you admit defeat, Scamander.” There was a cough from behind the two.  
“Well, I feel Miss Carrio may be more cut out for these tasks, Mr. Scamander.”  
“Professor Dumbledore!” there was a twinkle in the professor’s eyes, familiar and almost fatherly. Anna quickly undid the shoe stick charm and Newt scrambled to his feet, nudging her in the process.  
“My threat still stands, Newt.” Dumbledore cleared his throat once again.  
“Newt, you’re supposed to be by the entrance to the forest, the first task will start soon. Anna, I’ll escort you to your houses seats.” Newt nodded and took off.  
“Good luck!” he waved as Anna and Dumbledore headed for the viewing area.  
\--  
“Champions!” Headmaster Black’s voice rang through the area like it would were he one of those sports announcers. “You will have 3 hours for this task, 2 to find your destination, and one to find your clue. You may use any spells or charms that you please but you may not sabotage the others. The three of you will be teleported to different sections of the forbidden forest and go from there. If ant anytime something happens, and you need to be pulled out point your wands towards the sky and shoot off red sparks, someone will come find you. Best of luck to you all.”   
Watchful eyes witnessed as the three school champions vanished, strange projections appeared before the quidditch stands, showing the three students and their locations, Anna’s eyes stayed on Newt.  
The forbidden forest was an unforgiving terrain, even the most skilled wizards could get lost if they didn’t know how to navigate properly.  
And off they ran. “Newt, play to your strengths…” he had become rather skilled in locating spells over their summer vacation, mainly after having to track down a couple of baby Hippogriff’s that had strayed from the rest of the herd. If only the projections had sound, she’d feel so much better.   
Watching the screen, Newt looked completely lost. They’d only really spent time in the forest for Care of Magical Creatures, and if she remembered correctly there was in fact a river nearby, so if he could track to that clearing, he’d be able to find the where he needed to go, and if her suspicions were correct, He needed to find the bridge crossing the river. He seemed to be mouthing something before sprinting off, his wand floating in front of him, direction shifting every now and then.  
‘point me…a perfect choice, especially if he used it the way I think he did.’ Her eyes trailed to the other two champions, it appeared once had come in contact with a rather grotesque looking troll. The crowd gasped almost as if they were a scripted audience, the first set of red sparks shot off from the Castelobruxo students wand, his projection vanished as he was apparated back into the quidditch pitch, that Left Sarah Hale and Newt as the contenders.  
\--  
The first hour was up and Sarah looked to be completely lost, finally giving in to her need to use magic, meanwhile, Newt was finally coming up to the Care of Magical Creatures clearing.  
“YES!” the Hogwarts students were cheering, Anna clapped her hand together, once in the clearing it was a short distance to the rivers crossing. And if the challenge wasn’t too harsh he’d have the clue and be back in the quidditch soon.  
\--  
Newt found the clearing, ending the point me charm and tucking his wand away as he sprinted down the pathway to the river, glancing back every now and then to see if anything had spotted him, seeing nothing he kept on.  
Finally stopping at the river he looked around, confused, the bridge sat unguarded but it almost seemed too easy…  
“Hello, Champion.” Newt searched for the voice but saw no one. “Up here, Handsome.” Newt turned his eyes to a hovering tree branch and then immediately dropped them to the ground, up in the trees was a very beautiful, but very naked, winged woman.  
“Aww, you’re shy, well don’t worry Honey, all you have to do to cross that bridge is answer my questions.” Still slightly red in the face.  
“Th-That’s all…That’s all I have to do? Just answer questions?” the fair woman jumped down, perching herself on the edge of the bridge, Newt kept his eyes averted.  
“Just these three.”  
“Th-Then…let’s get to it.” The fairy giggled at his modesty.  
“What is your name?” Newt looked confused, why did she want his name, then the riddle he and Anna had solved came back to mind.  
“I know who I am, but who am I? If I am he, then he is me, me is him who I see, I am who, but who is he?” she’d guessed it was a reflection and if she had been right then this task was about self-reflection.  
“I’m waiting, Honey.” For a fairy she was certainly impatient. Taking a deep breath he brought his eyes up to meet hers.  
“Newton Artemis Fido Scamander.” The fairy smiled, her eyes suddenly glowing purple, Newt felt his head swim.  
“All right, next question.” He felt his head swim but did his best to keep his focus.  
“What is your quest?” Another easy question, what was this fairy playing at, why were all these questions so…Wait…what had her question been again? The Fairy’s smile grew.  
“Clocks ticking, sweetheart” Newt shook his head, thinking hard about the question she had asked, trying to think f what it had been.  
“To win this tournament.” Once his answer was out, he saw the fairy scowl, he’d broken through her enchantment.  
“Very well, Champion. Onto the final question” she moved to flutter in front of him, tilting his head up so he was looking into her eyes.  
“What is your most valuable treasure?” her eyes flashed purple again trying to sway his answer choice. He jerked away quickly.  
“You…You’re using magic to confuse me.” The fairy frowned, having been found out.  
“Is that your answer?” her grin was cheeky as she drifted back to the bridge.  
“No. Ask your question again, Fairy.” Newt was laser focused now.  
“As you wish, Champion. What is your most valuable treasure?” he had so many treasures, the creatures he now had hidden in his Hogwarts trunk, but was that really valuable? There was also his family, sure his elder brother annoyed him to no end with his attitude, but family was irreplaceable, yet he still wouldn’t say that he held them as a treasure.  
Brown and green eyes flashed in his mind, a girl with so many sides to her she was still an enigma and one he wouldn’t trade for the world, the muggle born girl gifted with abilities most would only dream of. Her smile could brighten the room, and on many an occasion it had brightened his day and chased clouds from his mind. A girl he’d saved what felt like ages ago. Yes, she was his most valuable treasure.  
Taking a deep breath he looked back at the fairy before him, confidence filled him.  
“Anna Carrio.” The fairy blinked a few times before breaking into laughter, Newt was not smiling though, his expression was serious and the fairy soon became so as well.  
“Very well, you may cross.” The fair moved back to her place in the tree, to await the other champions.  
“What you seek is in the grove just up the pathway. Off you go.” The fairy looked extremely pissed off as he sped across the bridge just as Sarah stepped into the clearing.  
\--  
Anna was dumbfounded, Dumbledore had fed her all of Newts answers to give the girl peace of mind after she’d witnessed the fairy’s mind trick magic. But the second he’d told her of Newts final answer her face turned as red as a blood pop. She stood and quickly headed for the quidditch pitch team tunnels.  
The second he reappeared on the quidditch pitch with a rolled up piece of parchment she sprinted onto the field, tackling the poor boy to the ground.  
“You have some nerve, Newt!” there were tears in her eyes, “You think you can just tell people things like that?!”  
“You’re angry, why are you angry?”  
“You told that fairy I was your treasure.” Newt finally looked into her eyes as the two of them sat up, noticing the mist of tears in her eyes, she wasn’t angry…she was scared and maybe a bit confused. Their conversation was cut short as Headmaster black announced Newts return.  
“Ladies and Gentleman, The Hogwarts Champion, Newt Scamander has returned with his clue!” Cheers filled the stadium and Anna nudged his side.  
“Raise the clue…” he looked at her confused, following her eyes to the rolled of parchment in his hand.  
“O-Oh, right!” Newt quickly took her hand in his without thinking and shot their entwined fists into the air.  
A chant of ‘Hogwarts!’ rang in the air before Sarah Hale appeared on the pitch, a clue of her own in hand.


	9. year 4 part 4

“Gentleman,” All eyes were on Kettleburn, Anna wondered exactly how this man was going to teach them how to dance a proper waltz when he only had one real leg and a metal contraption for a hand.  
“Please, find a partner, we will be working on steps today.” The crowd soon split off, boys and girls standing next to their chosen dance partner.  
“Anna?” she looked up to see Newt, “Come to woo me with your wonderful dancing again?” she teased, he rolled his eyes.  
“Come on.” He hauled her up and off the bleachers.  
“Wonderful, now that you all have a partner. Gentleman, your left arm should be raised so that the elbow is slightly lower than the shoulder and the elbow is bent sharply so that the left forearm slopes upwards and slightly forward from elbow to hand.” Around the room students shuffled and Newt felt his courage dwindling.  
“Come on, this isn’t the most awkward thing we’ve done. Remember second year when…” he placed a hand over her mouth, shaking his head as he placed his arm how Kettleburn had instructed.  
“Now, the lady will then place the fingers of her right hand between the thumb and first fingers of the man’s left hand. The man’s fingers then close loosely over the side of the woman’s right hand.” Anna giggled as Newts face dusted with pink. Kettleburn’s eyes scanned the room, a few of the students seemed to struggle so he stepped in to help.  
“Wonderful, Now, the Man’s right arm sloped slightly downwards from shoulder to elbow and the hand is placed comfortably on the Lady’s shoulder blade. The Lady’s left arm is then placed comfortably on the man’s right arm with her left hand resting lightly on the man’s right arm just below the shoulder.” The hold was the easiest part of the Waltz but also easily the most embarrassing considering that the current batch of students was packed full of awkwardness and developing hormones.  
“Now…” Professor Kettleburn flicked his wand towards the Gramophone in the corner and a soft melody began.  
“Men step forward with your left foot, ladies, step back with your right.” Each pair did as instructed.  
“It would just be easier to enchant a pair of shoes…” Newt choked back a laugh, “Ladies, step forward with your left foot and men step back with your right.” Shuffling feet filled the room once again.  
“No, just repeat to the music, start slow, do not step on your partners’ feet.” Newt and Anna moved back and forth to the music, him watching his feet and her staring off at the wall.  
“No, no, no. look at your partner, you’ll mis-step if you don’t.” Now both of their faces turned red as their eyes met.  
“Wonderful, now try moving to the music. Nothing to be shy about.” Maybe not in his opinion, he had no idea of their history. Newt stepped forward first, leading her around the floor.  
“Well, he might be a bit cooky when it comes to teaching about magical creatures…but he certainly knows what he’s talking about with dancing.”  
“I expect he’ll be retiring before long.” Neither knew it would be decades before the man did finally leave Hogwarts behind him. Finally Kettleburn announced lessons were over.  
“Well done, everyone, you’ll be ready for the ball in no time at all!” Anna had written home to inform her parents of the ball they’d written back that they’d send her some dress options.  
“Have you got a suit?”  
“Why?”  
“Well, obviously the champions lead us in…” he looked startled by the news.  
“No one told you?” she shook her head, poor Newt had no idea.  
“Someone…may have mentioned it once…” she laughed, “You’d lose your head if it weren’t attached, you know?”  
“I’d say you were right…but that would be admitting defeat.” Anna laughed and shook her head.  
“Yes, and we all know, the great, Newton Artemis Fido Scamander, never admits defeat.”  
‘No, never. Because if I did then who’d save the damsel in distress?”  
“I see no damsels in distress.” As soon as the words left her mouth she tripped over her feet and hit the ground. Newt looked like he was about to comment but she stopped him.  
“Not. A. Word. Saving me from my self is not a rescue.”  
“But saving you from the harsh, unforgiven floor would have been.” She scowled playfully and dusted herself off.  
“All right then, Mr. Hero, maybe I’ll give you a reason to save me.” And with no further words Anna left the ballroom leaving a very confused Newt behind her.  
“Wait…What are you going to do!?” he hurried after her, grabbing his satchel as he ran.  
“If you have to ask, it wouldn’t be a rescue.” Stopping fr a moment to let her words sink in he shook his head.  
“Nope, really going to need an answer, Anna.”  
“Well, you won’t get one, Newt.” She teased as she started climbing the stairs.  
“I don’t like you when you’re cryptic.”  
“I don’t like you when you get cocky.”  
“I’m never cocky.”  
“Blasphemy.”  
“When have I ever been cocky?”  
“you were cocky in the ballroom.”  
“I think the word you’re looking for is suave.”   
“If that’s suave, then I’m a baboon’s uncle.” Newt just looked confused, what did baboon’s have to do with anything? Too bad the unsuspecting boy had no idea what the next task actually entailed.   
\--  
“Anna.” Leta’s voice stirred her from her thoughts, she’d been working on her charms essay in the furthest back corner of the library.  
“Wow, you’d think the hat would have put you in Ravenclaw, with all the books you’re using.” Anna finally looked up, “Sorry, I’m a bit stressed, we’re working on charms with multiple uses.”  
“Oh, I finished that one yesterday, I did mine on the disillusionment charm.”  
“I’m doing mine on protective charms in general, because they all sort of work together. So, what did you seek me out for?”  
“The Yule ball, I was thinking of asking Newt’s brother, do you think he’d go for me?”  
“Theseus? That’s hard to say, Leta. I’m pretty sure he’ll be taking his reflection seeing as he thinks he’s the best thing since slice bread.” Leta stared at the brunette in confusion, “What?”  
“Well you know…he’s just a bit…arrogant and pig headed. Honestly, I think you should go with someone from one of the other schools.  
“Really? You think I should go with a foreign date?”  
“Of course, it might make your night more interesting, and maybe you’ll even learn something.” Leta scrunched up her nose.  
“Ew, who’d want to learn when we’re supposed to be having fun?”  
“Ah, Always the Slytherin, Leta.” Anna teased closing the book she was looking at.  
“Well, we are elitists, my dear muggle-born friend. So, are you planning to go with anyone.”  
“Honestly? I’m not sure I want to go.”  
“You have to go!” the librarian shushed them and Leta blushed, “You have to go, Anna. If my date is awful, I need to have someone to talk to.”  
“You’ll have Newt, champion attendance is mandatory.”  
“I figure Newt will ask you before too long, you two are probably the most anticipated couple in school.” Anna laughed, “Ah, so you didn’t hear about last year?”  
“Yeah, actually…I’ve been meaning to apologize for taking up so much of his time, I guess I was just jealous of how close you two are and—”  
“You were jealous…of me?” the brunette had to admit she was surprised, “I was actually jealous of you when the two of you started spending so much time together, I felt kind of left out.”  
“Well, there is nothing to be jealous of. Newts made it pretty clear he’s not interested in me, when we’d hang out he’d ramble about you and how he loved your eyes.” Anna blushed, her eyes were generally what people hated most, and she never understood why.  
“He likes my eyes?” her tone was very skeptical.  
“That and the way your hair changes depending on how you feel. Even I have to admit that’s amazing, I’ve never met a Metamorphmagus before. Oh, is that the time?” Anna and Leta’s eyes trailed to the clock.  
“I have to get to potions, I’ll see you later, Anna. And don’t tell newt I told you, I was supposed to keep it all a secret.”  
“No worries, Leta. Now go or you’ll be late.” She watched the Dark-skinned girl leave the library behind, closing her book and following suit.


End file.
